The False Mage
by Noctem
Summary: Darrin is a squib- so what is he doing at Jersey Devil Academy? Why are muggles beggining to swarm over the campus? Please R/R.
1. The Nobody

**The False Mage**

**A Harry Potter Universe Fan Fic**

**A/N** All characters, places, plot points, and assorted neat stuff not mentioned in J.K. Rowling's masterworks are my idea.  ****

**A/N **my biggest problem so far seems to be Darrin's class schedule I have no idea what spells come in at what grade level. (Or what classes I should make available)  Also the timeline is giving me problems- I need to correlate this to when Harry Potter is in his 4th year at Hogwarts but, I don't know what year Darrin needs to be in yet....  Hence the whole Xth year bit.

Thanks to Fullsailnate for encouragement to post this.  No mailbox marauders for you!

**PROLOGUE**

                Darrin was a normal Xth year student at J.D.A.  (Jersey Devil Academy for wizards) the North American counterpart to the Salem witches institute.   He went to class, struggled with his homework, griped about his teachers.  He was as normal as you could get-not recognized for any special achievement, just drifting by as one of the lesser noticed students in the academy.  

                Not that he wouldn't have stood out a great deal if a few things were known about him.  For in actuality Darrin was thought (by his parents-no one else knew) to be a Squib, born to a magic family yet unable to control magic himself.  This one fact would surely turn heads by itself- especially since he seemed only slightly more troubled by magic than any of the other students.

                What seemed to allow him control of magic was one heck of a lucky break, literally.

**Chapter One: The Nobody**

                Darrin sat on a bench outside of school deep in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey after a particularly rough time in class, he was as usual, seemingly occupied with his thoughts.

                "So there I stood surrounded by my foes..." despite the voice Darrin did not turn to look where it was coming from. He knew he wouldn't see the speaker even if he did.

                "You were important enough to have foes? "He hadn't spoken aloud merely thought the phrase with a bit of effort.

                "Important? I was the most powerful wizard of my time" roared the voice from nowhere "Oh, pardon, you are rather young, before your time, I keep forgetting you haven't even managed to die yet...." Sarcasm had been more than intoned in his voice.

                "I quite enjoy living-thank you very much Clanker, besides I seem to remember quite well the exorcising charm we were taught last week."  At the hint of this Clanker the poltergeist grew sulky.  Darrin could feel him slid around in his mind, looking for a spot to hide.  "Besides," he continued his silent conversation "You tell me this story every week."

                "It's a good story!" He objected rather heartily "One that deserves retell..."  But Clanker was not able to finish his thought as they were interrupted by a rustling in the bushes nearby.

                "Ouch, watch it, your gonna break that camera!" came an angry voice from the same apparently irritated shrub.

                "You made me trip! Sticking that stupid microphone everywhere, this is stupid! Let's just go back to the tent!" The bush now had a second voice to its inner conflict.

                Darrin sighed, he had seen this before, and as other students seemed oblivious for the moment he decided to act on his own.

                "Mugglus Confundus!" He said commandingly as he drew his wand.  Having the complete attention of the students who were passing by, he blushed slightly as two dazed looking muggles slumped out of the bush behind him.  One was carrying what looked like a muggle camera and the other some sort of fluffy thing on a stick with a black string going from it to his pocket. 

                One of the students passing had been none other than Darrin's friend and roommate Terth.  Terth was a slightly scrawny looking young man and had a jumpy personality to match.

                "More devil hunters?" cried Terth, alarmed " I thought instructor Thorpe re-did the anti muggle barrier last week!"

                "He did, I saw him do it myself" Darrin said, speaking aloud for the first time in hours.

                "Well he botched it again" said Terth glaring at the Muggles who now had the distinct appearance of deer in the way of a very bright spell.

                "Do we have to watch them? Or do we just get Instructor Drake down here for another round of memory charms?" He questioned, sounding none too keen on the idea of being around the muggles

                Darrin chuckled a little "You get the instructor I'll watch them for now..."  He knew they had nothing to fear from the now thoroughly confused muggles-they hadn't even tried to stand back up yet.  Though he did remember something about the equipment they were carrying from muggle studies although he couldn't quite place it.

                As Terth darted off, he sat stretching as he replaced his wand in its holster.  All year they had been having problems with the anti-muggle barrier so it didn't concern anyone too much to see a few more turn up on occasion, students had been given instructions on what to do in case of an intrusion, based on what year they were (first years had been told to find an instructor as quickly and as casually as possible.)

                There had been few serious incidents anyway, apart from a band of Goth teenagers who blended in a bit too well and had nearly walked off with a stack of spell books they found.

                On the whole Darrin didn't see the reason for concern; most of the study body seemed to share his opinion that muggles were mostly harmless.  Terth, of course, being a notable exception. Then again Terth was so easy to scare that he had slammed himself into a doorway (reaching for a handle on the side it wasn't on) upon seeing the schools advanced incantations teacher apparate before him in the halls one day.  Not that the incident had ended badly for him, he was now privy to much more attention from instructor Torries, one of the schools best looking female teachers.

                Darrin was remembering the incident with mirth as Clanker decided it was safe to come out of the part of his brain which housed his potions knowledge.  (As he didn't like the subject, it was a rather small but quiet section for Clanker to retreat to.)

                "Still thinking of exorcising me?" Clanker hummed, "Remember without me being _here_ you won't be _here either..."_

                "Yeah I know, Clank-O" He grinned slightly more widely as he thought, "But without _me_ you'd still be in a fence post outside Cretis Elementary School"

                "Without your dumb luck!" Clanker corrected, "Somebody else would've tripped and broken their ankle in that pothole eventually.  I would've just switched my self into one of them!"

                "Uh-huh, Clanker the all powerful poltergeist, care to tell me how you got in there in the first place?" At this Clanker sputtered and Darrin suddenly remembered how to make a sleeping potion. "Fine go hide."

                As Darrin glanced over to see how his confusion charm was lasting he was pleased to see that while mobile, the muggles couldn't seem to work out any direction resembling straight and thus had not left the spot.

                "Good work Darrin!" congratulated instructor Drake as he strode up. In his wake were Terth lagging tentatively behind, and Clarius, another friend of Darrin's and a very powerful wizard for his age.

                Pausing as he came up to shoo off some second years who looked as thought they might start practicing some new magic they had learned on the hapless muggles  ("Go practice on Instructor Thorpe's pet mood slime!") He sat down beside Darrin on the bench.  "Ah! So important to keep a relaxed pace in one's life" he said, noting that Darrin might as well have been asleep for the exertion he seemed to have made.

                "Instructor, Darrin's more laid back than a rocking chair that's tipped over.  Mind if I do the honors?"  Darrin smiled at his friend, although Clarius was an Xth+1year he shared a dorm with the Xth year students of Weirden Ward (classes had been exceptionally small those years) Similar arrangements had been made in Avalus and Tantoor Wards.

                "Think you're up to it?" he said not sounding as worried as he was trying to look.

                "Obliviate!" Clarius said with a flick of his wand

                The muggles were definitely affected though not quite in the way Clarius or anyone for that matter expected -as they promptly faced each other and started arguing again.  Before they noticed they where no longer alone and stopped to stand confused, (this time by their own means) staring at the four wizards arranged in front of them.

                "Uh-Oh" muttered Terth inching backward.

                "Wha..." started Darrin

                "Obliviate!" said Instructor Drake, now standing and pointing his wand at the stunned strangers.  This time the appropriate blank look appeared on their faces and Drake muttered another spell to make them wander back into the woods in the direction they came from. "Carefully next time Clarius!  Flick you wrist this way to make them forget more time." Clarius and the others still looked lost.  "You made him forget that he was supposed to be confused, canceling Darrin's Confundus charm, or at least any chance it had of sticking."  Clarius now looked a bit taken aback but seemed to recover quickly enough.

                "Honestly, you guys, study harder! Now back to the dorms before dusk!" He said pacing off rather disappointedly.

                "Oh Great Clarius, now he's gonna hand out extra homework for a _week_!" Darrin egged as Terth chuckled.

                "Har Har" mocked Clarius looking at Terth "He's right though.  We need to be back before dusk, we've received a package" At this Darrin and Terth's eyes widened.  They had been expecting this announcement from Clarius for some time now.


	2. Clankers' Helpful Switching Spells

**Chapter Two: Clanker's Helpful Switching Spells**

                Clarius, Darrin and Terth all arrived back at their dormitory panting from the run from the outdoor study benches.

                "It arrived earlier today?" ventured Terth breathlessly.

                Clarius nodded as he crossed the room to retrieve a package from under his bed

                Darrin was grinning broadly, as he had been waiting with Terth and Clarius ever since they had pooled their money and sent away for it.

                "It took forever to get here, they said one week!" Darrin vented

                "Ah, but it was worth it, look at this, the whole order is here, didn't miss a thing!"

                Spread before them was an array of mischief and mirth just waiting to be unleashed.

                "Lemme see it!" Said Darrin referring to one item in particular.

                "Here!" Terth tossed him a small, squashed looking sphere, which was a very menacing shade of purple.

                The label read "Keenleys all purpose Class-Dissmisser: Just throw and go!"

                "Don't set it off in here!" Terth jumped.

                "It won't do anything now, were not in class!  Besides I'm saving this for Divination."  Said Darrin, with a look on his face that would have gotten him questioned by any teacher. He glanced up at Clarius who was holding a rather inconspicuous envelope.

                "Is that the Mail Box Marauder" asked Darrin excitedly.

                "Yeah it is" said Clarius," I can't wait to try one! They're even supposed to make new unpaid bills appear in your victim's mailbox!"

                "Ouch, that's verging on outright mean!" winced Darrin "Gimme a couple!"

                "Hmm, I'll take one too..." Mused Terth to several surprised looks from Darrin and Clarius.

                "Who could you possibly have a grudge against?" Darrin looked rather taken aback.

                Terth jumped slightly at the implication "Uh, well, no one really, just want to check what spells they cast on the envelope to make it do that..." he trailed off nervously.

                "Right, sure.... here you go." Said Clarius, sounding none too convinced as he handed him an envelope.

                The next day classes went as usual, Potions, Charms, Divination, well that would be until exactly half way through Divination when Darrin decided to try out one of  Keenley's masterworks.

                He glanced down at the violently purple sphere in his hand, debating whether to chuck it now or wait until his teacher seemed a bit more distracted.  His teacher turned to write something important on the chalkboard.  "No time like the present..." Terth whispered to him from the seat behind.

                He agreed and wound back to lob it toward the far side of the classroom.  Quite to his horror he saw his classmate Chadwick staring at him right as he was about to release the Dismisser from his fingertips.  Knowing Chadwick, the grin on his face had nothing to do with the mischief that would ensue, merely the fact that it seemed a wonderful chance to get Darrin into a heap of trouble. He tried frantically to abort his pitch, but to no avail, the Dissmisser went sailing. 

                Darrin however was not unrewarded for his efforts.  He was now so off balance that he toppled over off his chair and onto the floor.

                As instructor Bosley turned to see what the noise had been, a large jet of smoke was already issuing from the Dissmisser, now lying three rows in front of Chadwick.  Not normal smoke either, colored sparks seemed to jump every which way in the rapidly growing cloud.  Beyond that the sparks were screaming, piercingly.

                Instructor Bosley's face was switching now from shock to anger as he bellowed "Everybody Out!  ...and nobody run off!  I'll get to the bottom of this!"

                Darrin's stomach sank as he hastily climbed back up to leave. Terth was gone already, and Darrin wondered whether he had run off as he was throwing the Dissmisser as he himself bounded for the door.  Outside the classroom the noise from the Dissmisser still proved to be too much and the class was ushered some twenty yards away before instructor Bosley's growling was distinguishable from it all.

                "All right who did it? Or a week of detention for everybody!" Bosley managed to make himself heard.

                "Instructor, I saw Darrin do it!" Came a voice too high and nasal to have come from its owner.

                Darrin was beginning to come to grips with a week of detention when his memory of his last detention with Bosley prompted drastic action.

                "Clanker, Help!" He thought wildly.

                Bosley and Chadwick now advancing on his position, Darrin tried desperately to remain calm.

                "Hmmm, need me to bail you out again eh?" Came Clanker's irritatingly calm reply.

                "Make him turn out his pockets!" Chimed Chadwick.

                "Good idea, Chadwick." Agreed Bosley "Well Darrin?"

                Darrin twitched nervously, (remembering the stash he had brought along to try and sell afterwards) his robes swished slightly.  He turned out his pockets, and to his surprise, they were empty. He looked up at Bosley and a stunned Chadwick trying not to grin.

                "You might want to try making a similar suggestion..." Came Clanker's voice in Darrin's head.

                Not waiting to think precisely what Clanker meant he said rather loudly, "Why don't you do the same Chadwick?"

                "Oh right Darrin like I would do such..." He was cut off mid sentence.

                Bosley had rounded on him, now suspecting some sort of rouse he said "Alright, Chadwick you too, and everyone for that matter..."

                But there was no need.  Chadwick made a snorting noise and flung his pockets inside out, scattering several Dissmissers across the ground, as well as Chadwick's sanity.

                Bosley said nothing.  He grabbed Chadwick by the ear and proceeded to drag the baffled brown noser off toward his office several doors away.

                Darrin thought he caught "...and twenty points from Tantoor ward..." drifting back through the hallway.

                "How did you manage that!?" uttered Terth obviously impressed, "We haven't learned any spell that could do that yet..."

                Darrin didn't quite know himself until Clanker volunteered an explanation.

                "Well, since he seemed to know you Darrin I figured you would want to share your stash with your friends, so I, well, switched your pocket for his!"

                Being able to think of no particular excuse for himself he merely turned to Terth and smiled guiltily.

                Terth taking his lead from his friend held up and envelope.

                "I guess I'm off to contribute my part to a world less strained by logic and rules!" He dashed off towards the eagelry.

                The concept of free time dawning on students, the chattering crowd outside of Bosley's classroom was now dissipating.

                "Nice work Clanker!" Thought Darrin: in as a congratulatory tone as he could think of.

                "Heh heh, thank you, thank you, you're too kind, but then again I AM a master of switching spells!"

                Darrin had heard this speech a million times but was extremely pleased at Clanker for having saved his butt, and framed his nemesis, so he let him run through it again.  As Clanker extolled his greatness, Darrin strolled down towards the lunch hall smiling.  Terth jogged up after some time.

                "Mission accomplished!" He said with a mock salute and a click of his heels.  "I sent the Eagle anonymously, of course..." However he would say no more about it.


	3. A Lovely Distraction

**Chapter Three: A Lovely Distraction**

                An autumn chill had definitely become apparent in the air, as the Pine Barrens began to take a cold wind from the North West.  Students were settling into their course loads, and teachers were marching through curriculum.  

                Darrin's mischievous streak appeased for the moment, he took time to appreciate his surroundings.  Chadwick's detentions had been served and he was back in class being a pain.  A few more muggles had made nuisances of themselves here and there around campus.  Clarius and Terth were, at the moment, at Quidditch practice. (Darrin tried for the team every chance he got but as of yet had been outshined by upperclassmen, and Terth)  He knew they would be gone for a while as today's practice was an inter squad match with their sister school, The Salem Witches Institute.

                As he wandered and thought, he found himself at his usual bench staring at the sky.  The soft clouds were tumbling busily out towards the sea.

                Lost in thought once more (easy to do with Clanker for a built in debate opponent) he didn't notice when a girl with long flowing brown hair sat beside him.

                "Hello." She said after taking him in for a minute.

                Darrin jumped, not so much from the shock of someone sitting next to him, but some one so, well, good looking.

                "Talk much?" she asked smiling at the reaction she had gotten.

                "Uh -er..." was all he managed to sputter before she continued.

                "I'm here with the Salem Quidditch team, Practice was cut short when one of your Beaters hit a Bludger INTO the Quaffle, shattered it.  They said everyone could take a break until they found a new one.  Anyway, mind if I share the view from here?"

                "Not at all" replied Darrin, wondering whether Clarius had put her up to this, he WAS a Beater after all...."my name is Darrin, and yours?"

                "Liz." She said, smiling and sitting down.

                Not wanting to risk saying something stupid, he decided to be content with the odd mix of nerves and calm that had formed in his stomach, and let her watch the sky in peace.

                "Cute," said Clanker, "Are you gonna ask her out?"

                "Uh, er, to do what exactly? Can't exactly dash off to the movies from here..."

                "Ugh, you are dense sometimes," Clanker droned trying to hide his glee at playing matchmaker. "Ask her down to {wizard city nearby} for a day.  You can check out the wizard shops or get some enchanted ice from the parlor!"

                "I can't do that Xth year students can't go there yet! There are so many tourists even if it's a community of wizards and squibs."

                A small scribbling noise beside him almost distracted him from his debate.

                "That's what you have me for silly. You find the reason to bend the rule, I find the way!  Now ask her before she realizes your arguing with yourself!"

                He stared up at the sky for a moment longer screwing up his courage. But before he could bring himself to face her, he felt a plop in his lap and turned to see Liz dash off towards the Quidditch stadium.

                "Hey! Wait a minute!" He yelped in surprise but she either did not hear him or pretended not to because she hurried off.  Standing now, he realized the plop from before had been a small roll of parchment deposited in his lap.  He stooped to pick it up.  It was nicely sealed and (sniff) had a faint aroma of (sniff) well something very pleasant anyway (sniff).  He took out his wand and opened the note, realizing just how oblivious he must have been to miss her writing, and then casting a sealing spell on the note...  Feeling rather oafish he began to read the note.  It was written in a shade of ink that seemed to change what color it was by how you looked at it.  He recognized the ink from a note Clarius had received the year before, Salem Girls used it to (he swallowed hard) ask boys to the inter school mixer held every year.

                "Wow she must be desperate" said Clanker slightly astonished. "Well go on and read it!"

                The note read:

                Hi!

                I know this isn't quite fair (you don't know a thing about me) but I've been watching you for some time now.  I saw you deal with those muggles who got onto campus last time I was at your school for Quidditch practice.  Clever spell work!  Anyway I asked Clarius and he thinks we'd get along so I decided to ask you to the annual mixer.  How about it?

                -Liz

                Darrin paused, as he strained his brain trying to remember her in the background of the muggle incident.   There were some girls eating lunch a few tables away in the outdoor study area- Of course that must've been the entire Salem Quidditch team.  How could he miss an entire Quidditch team worth of girls in all boys school?

                "Don't feel too bad" Clanker said sounding slightly conciliatory. "We were busy arguing, not everybody can get lost in though as easily as us…"

                Of course that must've been what happened! Darrin quickly resolved to be more attentive.  So he shoved the note in his pocket to keep it safe and decided talk to Clarius and find exactly what he had said.

                Clarius was in the indoor lunch hall snacking when Darrin found him.

                "Ah Quidditch will work up such a hunger" he said with a grin "So have you had any er… mail today?"

                "You mean the note you put Liz up to writing?"

                Clarius nearly gagged on his candied flobberworms.  "Put her up to it? I did no such thing!  She asked me about you!" he said pointing, despite the clear implication.  "I just told her you were a nice guy, kinda the quiet type but a nice guy!"

                "That's all you did? Nothing to do with a certain smashed Quaffle?" Darrin prodded, knowing Clarius he may have good intentions but was not above a good laugh at his friend's expense.

                Clarius merely grinned at this however thoroughly confusing Darrin. 

                "Ah for that blame Terth or Chadwick…"

                "Chadwick?" said Darrin feeling as though he had been hit with several confundus charms.

                "Yes Chadwick" said Terth as he strolled up with his lunch on a tray.  "I assume your telling him how we got out of practice early?"

                "Sorta: more so why Liz got out early."

                "Oh she finally asked him then eh?" said Terth looking slyly at Darrin.

                "JUST TELL ME WHATS GOING ON" Darrin nearly screamed.

                "Ok ok, Chadwick yelled at me from the stands (watching practice is a popular pastime at JDA), and made me screw up…"

                "But you're the keeper, right? Liz said a beater smashed the Quaffle…"

                "Correct, I missed the Quaffle, and nearly got hit by the bludger that was chasing your dearest Liz towards our goals..." Terth explained with some difficulty

                "Which is when Chadwick fell off his seat laughing at Terth" Clarius continued "So I decided to put said bludger on a new heading, towards the idiot."

                "But as my friend here was doing that I had gotten a hold of the Quaffle, and was well, about to try the same thing…" Said Terth sounding almost embarrassed.

                "WHAM- the balls collided midair and the Quaffle lost, badly, so the Bludger kept going- right towards Chadwick"

                They looked up as a nasally bandaged Chadwick crossed the lunch room for sustenance, and rejoined his friends from Tantoor ward at another table.

                Laughing hard they tried to return to their food.


	4. Sic Transit Clanker

**Chapter Four: Sic Transit Clanker**

**                A/N **"A Pushbutton War" is an original work I am currently working on.  But being an original work you'll have to wait until I get published to read that one.  Also several of my previous chapters have had minor updates.  Thank you Fullsailnate and Raven DragonClaw!  I tried to advance the plot as much as I could given I needed to flash to Clanker's perspective to set the story of Clanker coming to reside in Darrins head.  Chapter Five this story should REALLY get interesting…  Also note that chapter three was not finished when I posted last, (Stupid letter from Liz) and now it is, so go back, there's more there now.

Clanker was relaxing in a corner of Darrin's mind.  To his perception it resembled a living room, actually it was from Darrin's aunt's house, but Darrin couldn't remember his aunt to well, so Clanker typically had the place to himself.  (It was not a good place to hide however, as Darrin could recall the house at will)

                Clanker had quite enjoyed (again) the fact that he could taste what Darrin was eating as long as he paid attention.  It was just a little bit after dinner and as Clanker reflected a voice other than Darrin's interrupted him. It was the school's headmistress, madam Saowynn.

                "This is a notice to all students regarding the recent muggle sightings on campus.  It has come to our attention that some of the muggles were carrying enchanted artifacts on them, thus allowing devices such as a camera and recorder to function even in the presence of magic"

                Clanker made out some panicked muttering from Terth.

                "This being the case we have no choice but to limit magic use to in class only!  When out on the grounds magic is prohibited until further notice.  If you see any muggle NO STUDENT is any longer authorized to use magic on them to get rid of them.  Instead quickly and calmly find an Instructor and we will deal with it."

                "That is all." Finished the headmistress.  Clanker remembering that she had changed a version of the Sonorous spell to act like a personal PA system.

                "Clever lady" he thought to Darrin "I wonder what all of this means, the recent muggle sightings multiplying, and now this talk of magic enchantments on their gear"

                But Darrin was already in this debate with Terth and Clarius and chose to ignore Clanker for his friends.  Clanker however was not offended, this often happened and he knew why, it would seem kind of strange to break off from an interesting conversation, to be very suddenly lost in thought.

                 So Clanker gave up on his efforts at prying Darrin away from his friends.  He retired to the study of the house in Darrin's mind.

                Clanker picked a book of the shelf.  The shelf was populated with all the books Darrin had ever read, whether he remembered them well or not.  It also had volumes of things Darrin had written and that his brain had decided to retain for whatever reason.  He picked up a copy of "A Pushbutton War" and began to read.  In time Darrin's thoughts grew quieter around him, Clanker knew Darrin was falling asleep.

                After a while Clanker heard a faint noise and rose to look out the study window onto the rest of Darrin's mind.  Merpeople were swimming by in droves

                "Uh-Oh, he's dreaming again, I better get to his Potions notes before this gets ugly"

                The next morning Darrin awoke refreshed, as if he had just brewed and drank an invigoration draught.  

                "Invigorating draught?" he thought momentarily perplexed. "Oh, sorry Clank was I dreaming again?" he thought so Clanker should hear

                "Yes you were, quite terrifying I might add, that nightmare about the four headed fire breathing hippogriff again"

                "Sorry about that, been scared of that thing since my dad's campfire stories.  Besides weren't you hiding in my Potions notes?"

                "Well I was, until the Hippogriff attacked you in Potions class and burned them out of your hands.  Mental imagery isn't a bad thing, but for once could you please have a dream that isn't quite so VIVID?"

                Darrin Chuckled "Sure Clanker I'll just dream about lunch all night"

                "That would be fantastic, now if you'll excuse me I must miss breakfast as I was not allowed any rest last night…."

                "Have a nice nap Clank; I'll wake you before lunch"

                After his morning class let out that day Darrin had some time to himself before Quidditch practice.  He had decided to go and watch, and maybe if Avalus ward's inter squad was against the right Salem team he would get to talk to Liz.

                Darrin walked to his usual place among the outdoor study tables, sat and looked at the sky.  He heard Clanker snoring softly in the back of his brain.  A kind of mental fog set in on him, as it normally did when Clanker was about to dream himself.  Darrin wondered what re-run of the Poltergeists life he would be privileged to this time.

                However the dream wasn't one he had seen before.  Clanker was walking about a neighborhood, apparently out for a stroll (apparently still alive at the time) along a sidewalk lined with a picket fence on one side and some small tree saplings on the other. He happened upon a large fellow with a pickaxe resting on his shoulder.  The man was large and fairly dirty, probably having worked in a mine for a living.

                Clanker moved aside to let the larger man pass by unhindered.  However a lurch in the man's step made it apparent that he intended to run right into Clanker anyway.  Clanker could not move fast enough to avoid the impact and fell down on his butt.

                "Hey" the large man said as he turned to face Clanker.  "Aren't you gonna apologize for walking into me like that?"

                "Well I wasn't planning on it seeing as you walked into me" said Clanker picking himself up and dusting himself off.

                The large man didn't appear to be a wizard, just a typical person.  Then Darrin saw a third person, a woman almost hidden in shadow just a few feet away and behind a large garden hedge.  He couldn't tell if she was there by chance or not.

                "Haven't you got some nerve?" Questioned the large man, his eyes starting to burn with rage. "The whole town knows it was you, poisoning the Johnsons' daughter…"

                "I did that now too? I seem to be building quite a resume for myself, odd I don't seem to know any of these people" Darrin assumed that there had been many other accusations before this one.

                The woman who had concealed herself before now chose this moment to speak.

                "Oh, you didn't know her did you? Could've sworn I heard you two arguing a dozen times…"

                "Mordra, your grudge against me notwithstanding, I hope this good man is not fool enough to believe your lies." Clanker said sounding more than a little annoyed with this new speaker.  It seemed even her good looks could not hide her malice for Clanker.

                "I was fool enough to believe **_your_** lies once, Clarence" The large man said shifting his pickaxe.  Darrin realized that Clarence must have been Clanker's real name.  He thought it odd that Clanker had never told him that in 3 years of residence…

                "That's one mistake you won't make again now is it Derrick?" Said Mordra beaming up at him.

                "No, I won't, matter of fact, I think I'll make sure of that" Derrick took his pickaxe in both hands and pulled it back menacingly.  Clanker, or Clarence as he was here, took a step backwards towards Mordra.  Something stopped him from backing far enough away though.  As Derrick took a swing Clarence's eyes widened.  Darrin couldn't believe what he was seeing Clanker never spoke of his death and now Darrin knew why.

                He was distracted from this thought as he saw what stopped Clarence from removing himself from danger, Mordra's wand firmly planted in the small of his back.

                Clarence gave a shout, and in a flash of light the conflict was over.  His body lay in a crumpled heap.  Mordra stood in the same spot she had been before, unharmed, but evidently she was also missing her wand.  Derrick pulled his pickaxe from the heap and placed it back on his shoulder with a snort. As they walked away from the body Darrin realized where this violent scene had unfolded: outside the ancient Cretis elementary school, along the front sidewalk, where there were now two smoking fence pickets and a body.

                As the scene around him swirled and changed Darrin's mind raced.  He had heard the rumors while he was in school that someone had been murdered on the front walk of the school one summer, why had he never thought to connect it with Clanker? He had no more time to ponder this however as the scene of Clanker's dream once more became clear.  This time it was much more recent- the trees along the walk of the school had grown massive.

                Darrin recognized the shouts of children; one of the voices was his own.  He understood why as he saw himself bolting down the walk, pursued by the school bully and his cronies.  It was autumn in this memory of Clanker's as evidenced by the large crabapples that were being hurled at Darrin's youthful counterpart.  Darrin watched in awe, he knew what was coming, after all he had lived it, but Clanker's memory seemed to have anticipation about what was to come instead of anxiety.   As he expected, he watched himself take three more strides before collapsing in pain holding his ankle.  He remembered for himself the pain of wrenching it, (@#$% tree root!) but that what not what Clanker seemed to feel here. Moreover a sense of urgency seemed to overwhelm him.  

                For a second time the scene had both a crumpled human and a smoking fence picket within its boundaries.

                Darrin remembered what happened next most of all, a sudden voice, saying:

                "You're fine now; all you have to do is get up and RUN!"

Which Darrin did, as Clanker's dream spun out of existence, and he found himself sitting and staring at the sky once again.

**Reviewers:** (yes both of you)

**Fullsailnate**:  Whadaya think? Was the explanation worth the long wait?

**Raven DragonClaw**: Yeah that power out was nasty, hit here too.  I can't help but be amused at the fact my story was onscreen when you lost power, only two people read my story, and when you read it, it decides to sabotage the power grid… spooky.   ;-)


	5. Memories and Mistakes Revisited

**Chapter Five: Memories and Mistakes Revisited**

**                A/N** Sorry I took so long to update (stupid job) but I also write almost all of my chapters twice before I post, to make sure I'm happy with 'em.  Next chapter might take a while, but if I do it right it should be worth the wait.

As Darrin pondered what he had seen in Clanker's dream he wandered off toward the Quidditch field.   He knew from what Clanker had told him before that in his life he was not a popular person.  Clanker had explained that he had been framed for several incidents but he had never elaborated.

                "Hey, Clanker" hey thought wondering if he was awake or if he had merely stopped dreaming.

                "…Yes?" Clanker hesitated, perhaps wondering if Darrin had seen his dream.

                "About your past… what exactly…" but Clanker interrupted him.

                "Ah, so you did see.   I suppose you want an explanation" he paused here though the answer was obvious.  "As I have told you I was not highly thought of in my life, to the point where people began blaming random bad luck on me, the Johnsons' daughter for instance fell ill and they blamed me.  I suppose I could take some responsibility though, I should have been much more careful about when and where I used my magic.  However I wasn't and rumors started to spread, leaving me the center of blame for the inexplicable."

                "But that doesn't explain where that oaf got off with your MURDER!" thought Darrin

                "No it doesn't, but you saw the woman there too right?  She does explain the murder.  Half the rumors were my own fault, the other half I believe, were hers, her name is Mordra, she, well, we once were in love."

                "What the heck happened, she surely didn't harbor any warm sentiments for you there!"

                "She only harbored the hatred that was left when we were split apart; but that story is for another day, suffice it to say she may have used Derrick to kill me, he may have had no real malice towards me at all"

                "Uh, Clank, he hit you in the head with a pickaxe….."

                "Yes, he did, but he did not know the truth of the situation he blamed me for, thanks to her, and she may he done things more directly anyway"

                "What do you mean" questioned Darrin.  However Clanker seemed reluctant to say so he changed the subject slightly

                "Why haven't you ever dreamed this before now?"

                "I hate to say it but recent events in this school reminded me of the happenings that surrounded my death."

**                "**I don't think anyone's been cruelly cut down on the sidewalk lately Clanker."

                "I know, and hopefully I'm wrong on this" he said somberly "anyway take a right here, your getting lost in thought again" It was true Darrin was about to head the wrong way and miss the Quidditch field completely.

                Hanging a right to correct his course, he completed the rest of his walk in silence.  He had a moment's hesitation before entering the Stadium gates as he really didn't feel the desire to talk to anyone at the moment.  Clanker however urged him on.

                "Get over there, your not going to clam up on account of my bad dreams, give the dead their regrets- and I'll make sure you live well by not making the same mistakes."

                Darrin didn't quite understand but thought he got the jist of it and entered the Quidditch field to watch practice.

                Upon entering he saw his walk was in vain anyway as Liz was not there, instead Avalus ward was playing a ward he didn't recognize from Salem.

                However he stayed to watch, having nothing better to do until lunch anyway.

                After a while and just before he knew their practice would end he saw Terth and Clarius in the stands on the other side of the field  Probably watching the practice to gain a tactical advantage for their team, it's the type of thing they would do.

                He decided to leave early, not feeling like conversing with his friends at the moment. He walked through the corridor underneath the stands and made his way out of the stadium.  As he walked he drew his wand, he admired it once in a while when he felt down.  It was a special wand crafted for him by Arthur Ollivander.  The man was a strange guy, but a master craftsman.  Darrin remembered early in his second year how he was toying with his school wand outside his dorm.  Mr. Ollivander (who wasn't a teacher but had been requisitioned to procure a wand for the headmistress) had seen him and taken him aside.  He had said several strange things about the way his magic was coursing through the wand and that it would soon give out under the strain. (Darrin had found this hard to believe given the fact that he thought he'd be a squib if not for Clanker) Promising to see him again in two weeks time, he had dissapparated.

                As he had promised he had appeared two weeks later with a new wand for Darrin.  Short, only 9 ¾ inches, made from teakwood with a Blast ended Skrewt sting (he said his brother had sent him several) for a core, also he said he had given it Dragon's blood varnish so that magic could flow over its surface as well as through its core.

                Darrin thought back to the first time he tried the new wand; he stood and waved it lightly shooting a massive geyser of multi-colored sparks into the air in front of him.

                "Perfect" Mister Ollivander had said. Once again he dissaparated with a bang.

                The fidelity of Darrin's own memory shocked him- the bang had sounded as if it had just happened.

                What shocked him more was looking suddenly into the face of a surprised looking muggle when he turned out of the stadium gate.

                He had no time to react or even to think- he had his wand out, which was a violation of new school policy! He was no longer allowed to use magic to escape from such an encounter!

                As his mind reeled and sprawled for a foothold on the situation the muggle (who seemed to be slightly less shocked than Darrin) acted first.

                "Halloween party huh, lovely costume!" He raised a small silver box with a circle in the middle and Darrin was blinded by a flash of light.

                "No, No! Not a camera that's exactly what Professor Thorpe warned us about the other day! Never let your picture be taken! The muggles have enchanted artifacts so they might actually work in the presence of magic!" He thought panicked and thinking as hard as he could for a way out that wouldn't give further proof of wizards to this muggle.

                The muggle raised the silver box again; Darrin could still not focus clearly after the first attack. Then the blinding flash went off again, but it was different this time. Now as the light died away Darrin noticed several things, he was no longer holding his wand but the camera instead (which was smoking just a little.) The Muggle was holding nothing and looking confused.  Lastly as his eyes met the Muggle's he noticed pain- lots of pain shooting through his right forearm.  Still looking at the muggle he dropped the camera and screamed hoarsely as he collapsed curling about his searing limb. 

                The muggle having been yelled at, and apparently robbed, was running for his life back out into the trees that surrounded Jersey Devil Academy.

                Darrin barely remembered what happened next.  All he could make out were the faces of his friends Terth and Clarius for a brief second, and a series of loud bangs and then nothing.

The next thing he found he could focus on was the ceiling in the healer's office.  As he slowly dared to open his eyes wider he noticed he was not alone.  Surrounding him were several instructors and his friends Terth and Clarius.  He lay motionless and listen to their conversation for a moment, talk of where his wand could've gotten to, the possibility that (god forbid) the muggle may have taken it.  He also heard it mentioned that Headmistress Saowynn should notify the Washington Wizards Delegate about all the muggle troubles they had been having lately.

                "What happened" he struggled to produce the words, although he felt better his arm still hurt badly.

                "We were hoping you could tell us" said Instructor Thorpe.

                "Tut tut tut! There will be no interrogation of my patients!" Nurse Beckett scoffed from her desk some yards away from where Darrin lay on a cot.  "Terth, Clarius, you may stay and talk, _quietly to your friend, the rest of you **out!" She said shooing several annoyed instructors out of the room.**_

                Terth and Clarius sat motionless for a minute seemingly deciding what in the world to say.  Or perhaps what questions they should avoid out of courtesy.

                Darrin broke the silence for them.

                "Did they catch the muggle" he asked.

                "Oddly enough no, they saw him running away from you when they apparated in a few minutes later, torn up from running straight though a briar patch, but somehow he got away" Clarius explained

                "Why did the muggle attack you?" asked Terth looking nervous. 

                "He didn't" Darrin blurted out.

                "Then how in the world did you break your arm" asked Clarius still holding onto his calm and quiet demeanor.

                "I don't know, I can't remember much of the encounter" Darrin stated honestly.  He didn't seem to know how himself, he just remembered a flash of light and then pain…

                "Well the important thing is you got away" Terth relieved him of the spotlight "we'll leave now so you can rest, after all we have a test tomorrow in Charms."

                "You guys do- but I have O.W.L. prep tomorrow" complained Clarius. 

 (**A/N remember Clarius is 4th year and Darrin is 3rd, so its feasible for Clarius to be taking an extra prep class for the upcoming O.W.L.s in fifth year, esp. here in the states where testing seems so darned important SATs, ACT, ETC…)**

                "Ugh that'll help me sleep" moaned Darrin at the news of his upcoming Charms test "Later guys"

                Terth and Clarius departed, leaving Darrin to the nurse Beckett who helped him drink some skelegrow to repair the break in his arm and some sleeping potion to help put his mind at ease.

**Reviewers:**

Fullsailnate and Raven DragonClaw

Thanks for your continued support!  On the bright side of only having 4 reviews 100% of them have been positive!  Or is that reaching just a bit?


	6. Casting Duplicity

**A/N** I couldn't remember if the bouncing charm used on Malfoy was given a name so I pulled one of a English to Latin translator page.  "Salirus!"

(**A/N** my spell levels, tentatively: incindio, incindios, infernio, inferius, incineratum [post-grad level])

**Chapter six: Casting Duplicity**

                Darrin awoke the next day after a dreamless refreshing sleep. He was released from the nurses office after nurse Beckett had inspected his arm and was sure it was mended properly.

                "Still seems a bit springy though, so be careful" she cautioned as he left for breakfast. He hurriedly stopped at his dorm to pick up his old wand, since as of yesterday his had gone AWOL, and continued on his way.

                Darrin and Terth passed breakfast in the same way this morning, quietly and hurriedly reviewing Charms notes.  Clarius was sitting quietly nearby languishing for attention.

                His first class passed in a blur of nerves as he anticipated his dismal performance on his Charms test Darrin rarely did test well even though he studied just as hard as Terth did.  Darrin never knew why he didn't test well; he could cast fairly complex magic at the drop of a hat (mugglus confundus!)  It seemed somehow knowing he had to do it in advance made him nervous, he kept thinking about how he really shouldn't be able to do magic at all.

                As it turned out the Charms test was fairly simple. Cast three separate charms on the test object, (a pillow) and be graded on how well the charms performed.

                However making matters worse today's class was being observed by both Headmistress Saowynn and Instructor Torries, so both Terth and Darrin considered themselves doomed.

As luck would have it Terth was called upon first to take the test.

                Charm one was a levitation charm, (Instructor Drake always seemed to throw in one basic spell but nobody knew why) this Terth managed only shakily, but it was enough to get him passing marks.  The second charm was a hopping charm, Terth was almost in the clear but he later said he thought Instructor Torries smiled at him and the result was an odd pulsing effect that made the pillow look like a plush beating heart. By the third charm Terth's nerves were shot and even though it as a rather basic 2nd level fire charm his still pulsing pillow only managed to puff smoke with every beat. 

                Several other students went with varying degrees off success.  Only Marvin Steinwick managed to produce a worse result than Terth. He performed the tasks so rapidly, that he managed to confuse their order and sent a flaming pillow bounding towards the headmistress.  Much to Marvin's relief she merely sighed, pulled out her wand and gave it a dramatic flourish.

                "Ater Fossis Phocus!" At which a strange bubble appeared around the flaming pillow and it simply winked out of existence- the space around it having covered it up like a blinking eyelid.

                Small gasps issued from the students in the room, none of them had ever seen or even heard of that spell.

                "Ah, quite impressive," praised instructor Drake "Class that was one of the ancient charms, one that due to its complexity is rarely ever seen anymore, at least below post-graduate studies"

                "You're too kind instructor" Said Saowynn nodding politely.

                "I only praise those who earn it, Marvin! Study harder! Ah, whose next?  Darrin, you're up!" continued Drake not letting even the most impressive of ancient magics interrupt his testing.

                Darrin moved forward clutching his old wand nervously.  It had be almost a year since he had even touched it and he wondered if it still worked. He was worried if he could still use it, it had always been a bit touchy.

                He thought for a minute whether he should mention the loss of his other wand to the instructor, then he remembered that the staff knew already. He would just look like a fool fishing for an excuse, so, steeling himself he approached the newly conjured pillow.

                "Levioso" he said pointing the slightly dusty wand at the pillow.  It floated gently into the air, Darrin sighed in relief.  However before he could finish feeling relieved, a strange ripple flashed beneath the pillow and it shot up to twice the floating height as the others had managed.

                "Good concentration Darrin!" congratulated Drake "Even the most basic spells can be made better by putting more mental push behind them" he explained to the class. "I bet some of you were wondering why I was testing you on such a simple spell in third year, I wanted to see if any of you could do just that" he said indicating the floating pillow "Take a spell you've known for so long and put more into it for better results!"

                "Next Darrin," Drake said putting the pillow back onto the table with a flick, no, make that two flicks of his wand.

                Darrin, somewhat more unnerved for the odd way his old wand seemed to be performing so much better, attempted the second charm.

                "Salirus" The pillow leapt buoyantly into the air.  Without warning though, at the top of its arc it seemed to gain a second wind, bouncing upward again from the middle of thin air. It continued this odd invisible staircase pattern for a moment before Drake spoke.

                "Excellent Darrin!! I have never seen this spell taken to such a level!"

                In fact even Saowynn looked impressed. Terth was watching open mouthed, but went back to staring red-faced at his feet when Instructor Torries glanced at him

                "Continue please," Said Drake, and with some effort he subdued the boisterous cushion.

                "Of course instructor" Darrin said not much caring why his spells happened to be coming out so well, perhaps his old wand had always been better and he just never realized.

                "Incindios!" He commanded, the pillow popped into orange flame, and a second later, exploded into a fierce some fireball. (**A/N** down pillow, picture a duck getting hit with a rocket.)

                "Good show!" Drake congratulated Darrin "And 20 points to Weirden ward!"

                At that the bell sounded and the students filed out into the hall,, Terth jogging up to Darrin.

                "How the heck did you cheat and why didn't you help me?!"

                "Calm down Terth, I have no idea what I did different this time, it just happened that way"

                "Right you're suddenly just the next Merlin…."

                "I mean it!" He said drawing his old wand as they walked to Divination "Watch this, Lumos!"

                And his wand tip glowed brightly for a second and then proceeded to put out more light than a road flare.  Several nearby students groaned as they covered their eyes

                "Show off!" yelled Marvin as he turned into the hallway that led to his ward room.

                Divination went as boring as usual; Bosley's inhumanly monotone voice not helping matters.  Only the anticipation of lunch kept students from dying of sheer boredom.  Darrin and Terth met up with Clarius at lunch.  After explaining the events of the day to Clarius the three went back to their dorm to test Darrin's new found skill.

                They arrived discussing how to test Darrin best when they were interrupted for a moment by Clarius' eagle Lorre swooping in through the door as they entered.

                "Reply from your marauders?" asked Terth. 

                "Sorta, my mom asked me to send one to her sister, this would be the thanks from my mom." He untied the note from his eagle's leg and told it to wait on his bedside perch for an eagle treat.

                "You sent one to your own aunt?" Terth said unbelievingly.

                "Yeah, she's the black sheep of the family and deserves it pretty well, besides who'd you send one to?" Clarius countered.

                "Who told you I sent one?"

                "Darrin told me you sent an anonymous eagle, it was obvious…"

                "Darrin!" However Darrin had buried his face in a book as soon as they had walked into the room and was not listening to Terth's protest.

                "Ah, good idea" said Clarius noticing the book in Darrin's hands "That should have something we can use as a test"

                Darrin began speaking as if he had seen and heard nothing since walking in. 

                "All right each of you hex me, as strongly as you can, I'll cast uh… "He flipped through the pages of Clarius' Defense against the dark arts book "Protega, yeah that looks easy enough."

                "Uh that's kinda tricky" said Clarius "you might want to try something else"

                "Of course not "chirped Terth "remember he's the next Merlin!"

                "Terth…" Darrin placated

                "Anyway cast a hex you know the counter to just in case he does this right" said Clarius

                "Why Clarius?" asked Terth.

                "Trust me" asserted Clarius.

                "Alright I think I got it, you guys ready?"

                "Let's do this!" Said Clarius

                Simultaneous cries of Protega, Wartus, and Petrificus filled the room. As the Sprays of sparks from his friends wands soared towards him Darrin saw a sort of glowing bubble appear around him, followed by a second layer.  Terth's Wartus curse reflected off the first shield (which disappeared under the strain) and hit Terth in the chest knocking him onto a bed with a thump.  Clarius' Petrificus bounced back at its caster but Clarius had been ready, he did a shoulder roll and the hex passed him by striking instead his Eagle Lorre on his perch.  He froze instantly in place, until he swung around to hang upside down by his petrified feet.

                "Well that was interesting." moaned Terth pointing his wand his chest and muttering an unsuccessful counter hex.  "Better help Lorre, Clarius"

                "No way, he'll peck me to death for sure after that, I'll take him to instructor Torries for help.  Or maybe you could take him… She could help with those warts too.  Or would you be too embarrassed to take of your shirt in front of her?"

                "Can it Claire…" Terth threatened, using Clarius' least favorite nickname.

                "Cut it out guys, what the heck happened there anyway?"  Darrin interrupted.

                "I dunno, did you mean to cast two shields?" asked Clarius.

                "No, it just happened" Said Darrin Blankly.

                "Exactly, it just happened _twice_, because you're holding _two_ wands!" Came Clanker's explanation

                "Hang on I think I have an idea" said Darrin out loud.

                Clanker knowing this was his cue, continued his explanation "You see when you were in trouble with the muggle before, I er… tried to help and well I kinda…"

                "Screwed up?" suggested Darrin

                "You could say that, but it did work out, albeit with some side effects"

                "You can say that again- but wait does this mean that… hold that thought Clank, watch this" he thought.

                "Hmmm…" He said aloud again, placing his old wand down on a nightstand beside him.  "Stand back"

                He raised his empty hand, pointed to the book he was leafing through earlier and said:

                "Levioso!" The book rose several inches in the air.

                Terth and Clarius gaped, awestruck at the feat. Wand less magic was impossible, at least at their age and difficult for even the most wizened of wizards.

                "Guys, I don't think I broke my arm after all …"

___________________________________________________________________________________

Well whaddaya think?  For the curious instructor Bosley is inspired by one of my history teachers (go figure.)  The black sheep aunt is also inspired by a real person, whom I would send an MBM to if I had one. Clanker had attempted a similar spell to the one he botched upon his own death, but with less fatal results.   Clarius nickname is obvious but it should still be annoying enough to make him twitch.  Heh heh heh.


	7. Have QuestionsGet Answers

**Chapter Seven: Have Questions- Get Answers**

Darrin woke up Saturday morning with his head already buzzing with questions.  How did Clanker screw up and get the wand into his arm, why were muggles continuing to make nuisances out of themselves after Thorpe had redone the anti-muggle enchantments 3 times in the last month?  Would he get in trouble for having an internal wand, would it poison him?  

                Needing some answers he decided to start at the to of his list.

                "Hey Clanker" he thought "how did you get mixed up and put my wand into my arm anyway?"

                "Well good morning to you too…" he yawned, in as much as ghost can yawn (moreover a memory of what to do in the morning) "Same thing as when I put myself into that infernal fence post.  I was a great wizard and well versed in quite complex magic, my pride being switching spells."

                "Those aren't that hard, we'll learn them next year…"

                "True, but switching something for air is more difficult, and furthermore I was working  without my wand" he paused remembering his wand, and Darin got a clear picture of a longer 11 inch ash wand with a unicorn tail hairs braided over the outside "Not to mention I was trying to pull off a double switching spell."

                "Tried too hard?"

                "No I used to be able to pull off a triple in my day- but…"

"Casting through someone else's aura to hard for the great wizard?" Darrin guessed.

"No, I've found out the hard way that I do not do my _best_ work under pressure.  A little fear in my veins and I tend to er, target badly…" Clanker explained mournfully.  "So when I tried to put his camera in your hand and your wand in your pocket I well, missed…"

"At least my palm isn't spitting Polaroids. Is that the same mistake you made at Cretis too?"

"Give the man a chocolate frog he's got it." Clanker congratulated the correct deduction.  Darrin held out his hand and Clanker conjured a chocolate frog in his palm.

"Thanks." He thought as he began to chew.

"The least I can do, you're a bone short thanks to me. I can't switch the wand out because I have NO idea where I ended up sending your bone.  Besides people may start to question what's going on inside of you, showing up missing a bone all of a sudden…"

He paused here "If you try hard enough you might be able to direct your spell at one wand or the other, so you can hold the old one and only use it or the new one at a time that way things should seem normal to everyone else"

"Hey you put some thought into this didn't ya?"

"Yes I did, I was up last night feeling guilty, so I tried to think up an out for you"

"Don't worry about it I'm sure having a concealed wand will come in useful." Darrin grinned at this possibility I think Chadwick's gonna have a bad week…"

"I'm sure he will, oh one more thing, the dragons blood varnish on your wand…"

"Yeah what about it" Darrin's mischievous joy waning as he remembered the possibility of poisoning.

"I was probing the wand to see if it was damaged at all and I noticed Its not there anymore,…"

"Is that bad?!?!?"

"Not at all Dragon's blood does wonders for people lucky enough to drink it.  Though I've never heard of anybody getting it mixed with their own blood"

"If I grow scales…"

"Relax, I'll switch them off for you, besides I've been watching your body, it's my home too you know, and nothings wrong." 

"Good"

"Anyway another sleepless night so I'll be drifting off now."

"Later, Clank."

Having more information always seemed to bring more questions.  Darrin wondered briefly why no explanation could ever be simple.  Terth and Clarius were still asleep so he decided to go down to breakfast without them.

                He left his dorm and walked across the field towards the main building.  Entering the school he headed towards the cafeteria but stopped as he passed the staff room, apparently some one was having a rather heated discussion.

                "Do it right this time Thorpe!" he pressed his ear to the door and recognized the voice as Drake.

                "For the last time, I have done it right three times, there's something else going on here I tell you, muggles with enchanted artifacts, and I swear the one who attacked Darrin dissaparated before me in the forest!" Thorpe defended himself.

The next voice was hard to hear as it was rather calm.  "…reason not to believe him… … The delegate said there have been similar happenings in other major wizarding communities…   …enchanting muggle tools and interfering with muggle affairs……muggle spies… …Mordra…" The voice had been Saowynn's but at the mention of Clanker's old girlfriend he could no longer concentrate.  What could she possible have had to do with this?  She should have been dead for some years anyway… Clanker had been in his fence post for over 60 years, and she had seemed mid twenties in his memory.

                Darrin did not have time to finish his latest round of speculation however as Terth came up and clapped him on the shoulder, starting him.

                "And you guys say I'm the jumpy one" said Terth amused.

                "Just lost in thought, where's Clarius? He never misses Saturday breakfast, its all you can eat…"

                "I cast a sleeping charm on him; the bum stole one of my chocolate frogs during the night!  I know because I was missing one this morning, say what were you listening to anyway"

                Glad for the change in topic, Darrin filled Terth in on what he heard as they walked to breakfast.  Carefully leaving out that he already knew about Mordra from Clanker.  It was difficult but he managed to convey a bad feeling about the name without tipping off Terth of his source.  He didn't like the feeling of withholding important information from his friend. However if ANY one found out about Clanker he feared for both his life as a wizard and Clanker's prospect of finding a new home.  Because of the way he had died he had been a weak ghost, and needed a form to inhabit, unlike full blown ghosts his switching spell had warped the flow of his energy from his body and limited him in death.

                As he explained the conversation it slowly turned to his remanufactured arm.

                "Oh, by the way, don't tell Liz about my arm" warned Darrin

                "Why you want to show off and act like Merlin again?" Terth was teasing but Darrin caught another meaning

                "No, but that's not a bad idea…" said Darrin. He had the passing thought that if he played it up, he would look like a braggart and any odd incidences would be construed as that and not something more out of the ordinary.

                "You bum, she's going to be around later today, you know…"

                "Really?" He could talk to her about the dance, and showboat, without delay.

                "Yep, Tantoor ward has an inter-squad with their Silus ward."

                "Good glad they haven't cancelled it with all the muggles sightings."

                "So am I, if they cancel Quidditch we'll have to route for the Quodpot team" Terth winced.

                At this Darrin stifled a laugh remembering Terth's brush with Quodpot when he was still debating which team he should try out for.  The experience had left Terth without his eyebrows for three months, and made him a diehard Quidditch fan.

                Upon entering the cafeteria however neither student had the stomach for the menu.

                "Why do the serve Pumpkin grits? I mean can anyone really claim to like that swill?" Terth said.

                "Ugh" agreed Darrin "Not to mention the Shrivel-wurst- I'm not hungry anymore, besides isn't it rather warm in here today?"

                "Not really, we should practice for next week's practical exam in Hexes anyway" (**A/N yes they have a hexes course- it could be considered a dangerous thing to teach them but its actually a pre-requisite of the DADA curriculum, you can't defend against that which you don't know…)**

                "Yeah, I guess we should.  The room with the old sorting seal should be empty now." Said Darrin thoughtfully.

                They wound their way through the school halls until they were at the entrance of the old stone sorting hall. Terth hesitated before going in.

                "I remember what happened here too," said Darrin "if you want we can find someplace else to practice.

                "No I'm fine, that was early last year, besides the seal isn't active except at the beginning of the year right?"

                "Yeah, let's get started then." (**A/N** I'm not done writing the pre-quel yet so use your imagination for now, or bug me to post it, whichever)

                They each drew from their pocket a billiard ball sized object which proceeded to zip around them.  The practice targets now gliding through the cold air of the room, they set about their hexes.

                "Stupefy!" they both yelled pointing their wands at the floating billiards. 

Terth's target turned an odd shade of blue and sunk slowly out of the air, before it shook of the hex and continued to glide about.

                Darrin hit his target and it started to go down slowly when a second stupefy hex hit it and it fell to the floor with a thud.  The ball lolled from side to side for a moment before, slowly, rising back of the ground and regaining it s normal color.

                "I'm gonna have to do something about that," said Darrin lowering his wand.  Terth nodded matter-of-factly.

                Darrin looked at his arm for a minute, raised his wand and then said quietly "stupefy."

                A small jet of light zipped from his external wand, towards his target, which turned bluish and sagged momentarily in the air.  They both watched and waited, and nothing more happened.  

                "Cool, how'd you manage to turn one wand off?" Asked Terth.

                "I just sorta called for the other one before I cast the spell…"

                "huh?"

                "I remembered who I felt when I first picked up my wand" he said pointing with his free hand to the wand he was holding. "I kinda thought of that while I said the spell."

                Terth looked confused but simply turned around to face his target and said the hex again.  A puff of smoke came from the end of his wand and his target whizzed by unaffected.  He turned to Darrin and explained " I though of when I had to borrow my brothers wand."

                "Neat, hmm, mind if I borrow your target for a second?" Darrin asked.

                Terth shrugged and stepped backward out of the way so Darrin had a clear shot at both targets. Darrin put his wand in his other hand and held it pointed at his target.  He held his palm towards to other.

                "Stupefy, Immobilus!"

                The first target tinted blue and bobbed drunkenly towards the floor, the second turned bright red and froze in mid-air. Darrin staggered and leaned against a nearby wall for support.

                "Are you all right?" asked Terth "What did you do wrong?" 

                "I could feel some of the hexes doubling back on me, must not have concentrated hard enough to tell them where to go"

                "That is absolutely correct Darrin!" Came a came voice from the shadow in the far corner of the room. Terth and Darrin pointed their wands at the sudden voice out of reflex. "Now, Now, boys: threatening a teacher is grounds for expulsion…"  The blood left their heads as they focused on none other than headmistress Saowynn walking into the light.

Thanks for reading, and thank you all for waiting so darn long for an update!  I was sort of on inadvertent hiatus…

                **Crydwyn****: I know what you mean about the "instructor " bit it does sound a bit formulated.  However it's all I could come up with. As far as Clanker and Darrin's wand, I'll get to that, not a bad guess though.  I'm trying to fill in back story as I go, actually, I started writing this a bit premature so a prequel has already sprung forth.  I will release it after I finish this story.  Mr. Ollivander's brother, whom I made up, Is going to be one of the few direct references to Rowling's works-However a certain back character while be deported to JDA shortly…  As far as the character descriptions, I was intentionally vague so far.   Go ahead and imagine them as whatever seems appropriate to you.  The daily routines and habits of the characters will creep slowly into the story.  (Clarius never misses breakfast for instance)**

                **Jess16: Thanks for the review, come back often!**

                **MoonClaw****: Eschew obfuscation.**

                **Shreve: Thanks for reading, you won't be disappointed, it may take a while but Darrin will be VERY powerful…  Wizards in America are different, just wait till story 2- look for a chapter titled "Jersey Plates" Oh BTW you may have incensed Fullsailnate, as its "he"….**

                **Max77: Thank you, I will try to update soon, but my ideas are limited to my supply of Sobe Adrenaline…. Darrin will meet one "export" from Hogwarts soon, heh heh heh…**

                **Fullsailnate: The magical physicist….    The timing on the spellcasts is delayed because one wand knows it's the primary wand and the other is just an echo/add-on as it were.  Which arm bone? I dunno whichever would work better at the length of his wand. I actually measured my arm when deciding how big to make Darrin's novel wand.   Thanks for the recommend, just call me when you get stuck next and I'll pay ya back.**

                **Raven Dragonclaw: Actually Clanker made the exact same mistake as when he was getting killed.  He went for a double switching spell and botched it badly due to nerves.  He was going to hide the wand in Darrin's robe (switching for the air in the pocket) and put the muggles camera in his hands- but he lost focus on the robe, and thought of Darrins arm by mistake.  Thanks for recommending my story!  I owe you one! **


	8. Rumination

**A/N  I** should mention that Darrin's school is not small, matter of fact it is QUITE large having upwards of 5000 students normally. (appr5th -12th grade) It just so happens (and this is of no significance to the plot whatsoever….) that Darrin's class and the one immediately before his were VERY small only a hundred or so pupils per year.  Due to class size most house have two Quidditch teams sort of like varsity and junior varsity.  Terth and Clarius are on the Junior varsity team. There are other members of their house in other rooms of the same two years

**Chapter Eight: Rumination**

She had seen the last great magic war. She had seen Grindewald rise and fall at the hands of a single foe.  She had seen a fool nearly derail her own plans six decades ago.  She saw a boy make a fool of an awe inspiring dark wizard time and time again.  She had seen another boy foil one of her lackies- and now she had seen why.

                A double cast; half wandless at that.  Impressive: far too impressive for even Saowynn's chosen disciple.  Of course she had seen this before, one of his kind had ended that last great war.  One of his kind had destroyed the moon's sister.  A mage was here, now.  Finally the bridge had arrived. She had seen his mind a year before and tried to seize it then, but the power she once held over the seal had been fractured with the erasure of Ethis ward.

                This now required tact, to strike now with the unknown in play would be careless.  How strong was he?  How well trained? But moreover, Saowynn was no fool.  To take the boy now would alert her, too early for plans to be properly in motion.  Saowynn probably suspected already but at least had no proof.  Then there was that damn Ollivander, he still held enough sway to become a complication- and furthermore he had gone into hiding.  Perhaps he had been smarter than she had first judged.

                Such frustration! The muggles were oblivious to her, as was most of the wizarding world.  Recent events in Europe had almost completely erased her from the minds of an entire continent.  Still she must wait. She needed one more piece before she could move openly.  How long had it been? The centuries had begun to run together long ago.  A few more years could not harm her.  Still she grew rest-less, perhaps a small test of their weariness and her readiness was in order.

                Perhaps it would even be entertaining to watch.

                Perhaps, she would have a cup of tea. 

                To calm the nerves that had been fraying these past few decades as she sensed the nearness of her quarry.   The ritual had been set in motion so long ago; to imbalance it now would be disastrous.  To allow the world its final hope of blocking the magic from reaching completion would quite simply be wasteful.  

                The world was distracted but her enemies were watchful, wizened, and well placed to stop her.  She was powerful beyond imagining, but limited in one critical way.  She needed Darrin.

                Terth and Darrin stood open mouthed and terrified at the sight of the headmistress. Least of their worries was the fact that they shouldn't be in that room.  She had seen and heard everything they had said and done and now knew precisely what was going on in Darrin's arm.

                "I imagine you think your in trouble" Saowynn said with a sigh.  I regret that I have to say you are, but not from me mind you."

                "Here sit down and calm down" she said conjuring two chairs with a single flick of her wand.

                Sitting but still remaining quite tense Darrin and Terth exchanged worried looks.

                Saowynn sat down herself and proceeded to explain.

                "Firstly you will receive detention for being here when you know your not supposed to be in this room- at least that's what you will tell everyone else, got it?"

                Two nods told Saowynn her words were, slowly, sinking in.

                "Second I already knew about your wand problem Darrin.  So do Drake and Torries.  They will help you cover for it, after all you have to admit, professor Drakes little line about 'taking a spell to another level' was quite convincing."

                A look of Revelation was dawning on the two students facing her. Darrin sat wondering just **_HOW_** much she knew about his wand situation.  

                "Your 'detention' will take place in the old Ethis dorm building, I can't imagine a more ironic place, to prepare you for what's to come."

                "Uh, headmistress?" ventured Darrin "what, er, are you talking about?"

                She looked at them levelly and said "I'll tell you more in your detention, now you two delinquents back to your dorm on the double!" She giggled slightly as they skitted from the room. Turning to face the old and battered seal on the floor she said in a cool emotionless voice "What will you make of that old friend?"

                Terth and Darrin returned to their dorm to talk over the strange events they had just been a part of.  Upon entering they found that Clarius was sitting in the middle of the floor with his eyes closed and the shades pulled shut.

                "Not you too!" moaned Terth. " If someone doesn't start making sense around here I'm gonna scream!

                "Shhhh! Like I asked to be giving a special assignment by Thorpe in double divinations, says he was asked by the headmistress to give me more work! Insanity!" Clarius retorted. "By the way a package came for you, Terth." He said pointing to a parcel set on Terth's bed.  "I got bored with this dumb assignment earlier so I tried to divine what was in it."

                "Any mystic visions, oh wizened auger of parcellage?" Darrin goaded.

                "Only that you should change your sheets more often- I sat on your bed while I was divining and after a few minutes the smell was overwhelming" Clarius grinned.

                "Hey!" Darrin started but his train of thought was interrupted by Clanker.

                "Uh Darrin, you might want to leave the room for a moment…"

                "Not now Clank!" Thought Darrin as he watched Terth shake the package "this is probably his payback for the mailbox marauder I wouldn't miss this for anything…"

                Terth was busily unwrapping while Darrin argued with himself and Clarius took a break from his divination to watch, apparently having come to the same conclusion as Darrin about the boxes contents.

                The box opened and Terth pulled out an odd shape wrapped in more paper.

                "Ugh, it stinks" said Terth

                "So there its not my sheets lunkhead" Darrin pointed out.

                "You REALLY need to leave!" Clank nearly shouted from the back of Darrin's mind.

                Terth removed the paper "Its… a… toilet S-bend?" He said absolutely befuddled.

                At that moment an almighty wailing racket filled the room.


End file.
